Then yesterday, the post on syrup veered into the automobile territory. Because I’m so ridiculously anal about conscious of keeping OTE posts on-topic, and not letting them turn into long-winded debates between two people, I thought I’d create a separate post where we could argue this age-old topic: to SUV or not to SUV.

I am, admittedly, not as environmentally conscious as some. While I don’t liter or use aerosol cans, and I always recycle, I have been known to leave the water running while brushing my teeth and open my sunroof while the AC is on.

Because of what I’d call a middle-of-the-road attitude, most of my buying decisions are not based, foremost, on social consciousness. So, when I choose an SUV (I’ve driven them since the early 2000s with my last three cars being “trucks”), I’m doing so for a few reasons:

The leg room. I am 6-feet tall with a 37″ inseam. A Honda Civic, while cute and efficient, isn’t going to comfortably house these gams.

Some people will argue “You don’t need to be comfortable in a car.” I disagree. I drive almost 25,000 miles a year — that’s twice your average driver — with several long trips in the mix. When you spend 100 percent more time in your car than the average car-owner, you want to be comfy (at least I do).

I love being up high. As much as my mom still swoons over the reliability of her 8-year-old Saturn, I feel trapped — and short — in a regular car. In life, I’m used to having a clear view in crowds, and I like to have the same when battling Lincoln Tunnel (or Northway) traffic on a Friday night.

Between my golf clubs (and my dad’s or R’s or whomever is with me), my golf push cart, Rollerblades and my car kit, the back of my truck is pretty much filled from April through October.

We live in upstate New York where it snows — a lot — and I need pure reliability since much of my job involves scooting around the Capital Region for stories and Seen. With a 4-wheel drive SUV I can crank up on an Albany side street snowbank better than any sedan in town.

Do I understand why people argue their choice is best? Sure. We all make buying decisions based on knowledge and beliefs (that’s why I won’t shop at Abercrombie or Quinn).

But I also know better than any other drive on the road (obviously) what’s best for me, just like you all know what — from where you live to what you wear to the places you eat — most suits you.

No matter how hard anyone tries to argue in favor of a Kia Sephia (my go-to rental car), an automobile is the one place where I’ll invest to have a more comfortable (for me), reliable (for me) ride no matter how appalled Al Gore may be.

58 Responses

Kristi, if that’s what you want/need then by all means get it. If you can afford the gas, payments, insurance, etc., then get what suits you best. Disregard all the tree huggers, environmentalists, Al Gore believers and the rest of the “Green” nutjobs.

Dave Too, ha. It’s not that I wouldn’t buy what I want based on what others think (in fact, it almost just makes me want an SUV even more), but rather I thought it would open an interesting discussion if I explained why I opt for an SUV.

dgc – A minivan can carry/transport four children. An SUV may be a better option for some or most folks but it is not the only option a person has. Therefore, an SUV is not “needed” by anyone simply because they have four children.